The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-05-17
RAILROAD LAW.
Something Of the Growing Senti-
ment Concerning 1t.

Quite number of the m embers OF
the legislature, passed through the
city this morning en- route to Jeffer-
SON City, and in conversation with
them the fact was pretty we'll drawn
out that there is very little if any
change of sentiment among them, as
regards railroad legislation, from that
expressed by their action in the re-
cent session. But the fact is devel-
oped that they have given the matter
a great deal of attention and thought,
and that they will be able to give
their convictions, as well as the pub
lie sentiment, a much clearer and
more decisive expression than ever
before. While the great mass of them
are unalterably opposed to further
railroad legislation, they are as unan.
imous in the belief that there is grave
defects in the present railroad regula-
tons of the state and seem to
realize that a remedy is needed, but
that remedy they consider lies in the
organic law of the state. Hon. Dsvid
Hopkins, of Jasper county, was
among those who went down this
morning, and in an interview with q
BAzoo scribe, made perhaps as clear q
statement of the case as anyone could.
"Our people, " said Mr.. Hopkins, care
opposed to any further railroad legisla-
ton at this time. They believe there
has been too much already for the
good of the country or the railroads,
and / do not expect to change my vote
on the subject. The fact, is that
Missouri is farther behind in railroad
advancement than any of her sister
states, and it is solely because of her
iron clad constitutional provisions,
which punish the innocent for the
misdeeds of the guilty. Ever since
the passage of the anti-bond clause in
the constitution, railroad building, ex-
cept where absolute necessity to make
has been dead in the en-
tire state, in spite of the fact that we
have the richest and most profitable
country in the union, for such enter
prises. The passage of this measure
was clearly a mistake as has been
proven by twenty years experience,
and the people are realizing it. What
we need is a constitution amendent |
giving the people, what / consider
clearly their constitutional and indi-
vidual right, to dispose of their own
as they may deem best,
and cities should have the
right to vote bonds to railroads where
they believe it is to their advantage
and profit to do so, and they should
De- surrounded by protecting safe
guards in SO doing just as they are in
)ther matters.
Ifinstead of prohibiting the voting
IF bonds to railroads an amendment
we're passed permitting them to do
70 for any legitimate enterprise of the
lind they might deem.best, and. max
ng it felony for any person or cor.
Doration to secure such vote for bonds
oy false. pretenses, or having secured
hem, to fail to carry out in full the
provisions and promises upon which
UGH bonds were secured, and rend-
ring, by such failure, all such bonds
lul and void, | am satisfied Mis-
ouri would enter upon q new era of
prosperity that would soon make her
he foremost state in the Union. Of
curse this can only be done by the
ocular routine of constitutional {
mendment, but that is the kind of
oilroad legislation I am in favor of.